The Living Picture Craze: An Introduction to Victorian Film from FutureLearn

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is designed for anyone with a passion for film and Victorian and British history. This includes lecturers, teachers and students of film, media, history or English literature. You can use the hashtag #bfilivingpicturecraze to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Investigate the late Victorian period in Britain. Unravel and discuss common myths about the era, and examine what Victorian films reveal about the society that produced them.
Examine how film became a key medium to explore the rapidly-changing Victorian world; both at home and abroad. Discover why a phantom ride isn’t as scary as it sounds, and have the opportunity to make your own to share with peers.
Explore the Victorian imagination and learn about what audiences watched and why. Watch and examine a wide variety of films from comedies and trick films to serious dramas and adaptations.
Draw parallels with the visual spectacles available in Victorian period and our own multimedia landscape.
Programme a dynamic play bill for a Victorian audience and explain your choices.

Reviews summary

Fascinating journey into victorian film

According to learners, this course offers a fascinating and unique deep dive into the origins of cinema during the Victorian era. Students frequently praise the unparalleled access to BFI's archival footage, which provides a rich visual experience of rare early films. Many found the content to be well-researched and detailed, with the instructors' passion and expertise shining through. The hands-on 'make your own phantom ride' and 'programming a playbill' activities are highlighted as creative and engaging. While ideal for film studies students and history enthusiasts, some learners with a more casual interest or desire for practical filmmaking found the pace occasionally slow or the presentation very academic.

Instructors demonstrate clear expertise and passion.

"The instructor's passion really shone through the materials."

"The instructors were clearly experts."

"It's clear a lot of passion went into this course."

Hands-on exercises provide practical understanding and creativity.

"The 'make your own phantom ride' activity was a brilliant, hands-on way to understand the early filmmaking process."

"The segment on programming a playbill was a creative way to apply what we learned."

"The phantom ride bit was fun, and gave a nice practical touch."

Offers thorough, well-researched content for serious learners.

"A very informative introduction. The course content was well-researched and presented."

"Brilliant course! As a film studies student, this filled a significant gap in my knowledge."

"I appreciated the opportunity to engage with primary sources. It's a solid choice for someone new to the subject."

Exceptional access to rare historical films and BFI resources.

"Absolutely fascinating! The BFI's access to historical footage was unparalleled."

"An incredible journey back in time! The BFI truly outdid themselves with the archival footage."

"Fantastic! The BFI's resources are amazing, and it's clear a lot of passion went into this course."

Some find the academic pace less accessible for casual learning.

"Interesting topic, but a bit dry at times. It felt very much like an academic lecture series."

"I struggled to stay engaged. The presentation felt very academic and less accessible than I hoped. I'm more of a casual learner."

"Good overview, though I found the pace slightly slow in some weeks."

Career center

Learners who complete The Living Picture Craze: An Introduction to Victorian Film will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: